Focus Groups-Rehabilitation & Victim Empowerment

SERVICE
One Stop Crisis Centre for victims of Violence

LEGISLATION THAT DIRECTS THE SERVICE
Domestic Violence Act
Criminal Procedure Act

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
This is one of the two pilot centers which was established in 1997 by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)with the auspicious leadership of the National Network on Violence Against Women (NNVAW). The other pilot Center is in the Mpumalanga Province. These centers were designed based on a research study that was conducted by UNDP together with NNVAW in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga province on Violence against women. The main findings of this study are;

• Women and child abuse is a manifestation of men exerting their power and control.
• Women are raised to be subservient to men and not question. Women do not report to the police as they cannot differentiate abuse from normal behavior or they are afraid of more abuse.
• Women are unaware of their rights( e.g. constitutional, marital, Property).
• Prostitution (day and night) is rife because of poverty.
• Lack of sport and recreation facilities in disadvantaged communities leads to sex becoming a source of recreation.
• The women relay heavily on their male partners for survival.
• Women travel great distances to collect fire wood and are often attacked very far away from help.
• Parents sell their children for sex to older men as a way of earning an income.
• Women do not report abuse to the Induna (the Headman) because only man can have access to the Induna.
• Young girls become sexually active at a very young age thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies.
• Young boys are often left in the custody of older men and often become victims of sexual violence (high incidence of sodomy).
• The elderly rely heavily on their meager state pension, their children and grandchildren physically and psychologically abuse them and steal their monthly payout.
• There are no victim empowerment services in the rural areas.
• There are few NGOs providing services for abused women and children.
• The police stations are not victim friendly and thus incidence of reporting is low.

AIMS OF THE SERVICE
The aim of the One stop Crisis Centre is to:

• To develop and render programme for male offenders and potential offenders.
• To develop reliable system of information and data collection on the nature and extent of gender based violence.
• To develop and render out-reach program.
• To create greater public awareness and social mobilization on women and child abuse. The main services rendered by this center include;
• Provision of safe space to women and children who are victims of violence.
• Counseling including the offenders.
• Legal advice
• Medical attention
• Information and education to empower women to make informed choices about dealing with the abuse they have endured.
• Data collection and reporting.
• Recruit and train counselors.
• Public information campaign.
• Recruit and train community volunteers to implement Out-reach programme.
• Render advocacy services.
• Mass communication using local media.

WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE SERVICE?
Victims of Violence

WHO MANAGES THE SERVICE?
Social Workers and Counselors employed at the Centre.